The present invention relates to electromagnetic shielding for electronic components. In particular, the invention relates to electromagnetic shielding for electronic components that are mounted on circuit boards.
Electromagnetic (EM) emissions from electronic components such as microprocessors are problematic since they can lead to EM interference in neighbouring components, circuitry and/or systems. This problem is particularly pronounced where multiple electronic components are located in close proximity, whereby a relatively large amount of EM emissions are produced in a small space. An example of such a system would be a circuit board upon which a number of microprocessors are mounted.
In some systems an electronic component is provided with an electrically conductive shield. It is known to electrically ground such shields so that they may provide improved EM shielding. In some systems, an electrically conductive heatsink is provided which can also provide a degree of EM shielding and which can also be electrically grounded.
The provision of grounding for an EM shield and/or heatsink is problematic however, since it involves electrical connections, which can take up considerable space. In circuit board design, space is at a premium.
Some known methods of grounding an electrically conductive shield and/or heatsink and are unsatisfactory since they involve overly complex mechanical constructions.
Some known methods of grounding an electrically conductive shield and/or heatsink and are also unsatisfactory because they involve semi-permanent attachment to a circuit board and make it difficult to install/remove.
Accordingly, an aim of the present invention is to provide effective EM screening for an electronic component while avoiding the problems described above.